EN
Civil defence (CD) is one of the elements of the defence system of the state. Tasks which are the CD foundation have key importance for society. Currently, however, the CD significance is clearly decreasing as it has been shown in the Supreme Audit Office’s report of 2012 concerning the prepa-ration of civil defence structures to perform tasks during war and peace-time. Moreover, the report points out that this system is ineffective as it is a defunct body, existing only formally in spite of crucial tasks assigned in CD activities. This paper features the civil defence evaluation in Gozdowo commune, located in Mazovia province. The first part deals with conditions of CD func-tioning in Gozdowo commune. The second part, to be published in the next issue of ZN Obronność, contains the description of quantitative research results.